Detection of Flood Hazard in Urban Areas Using GIS: Izmir Case

The aim of this study is to predict the potential flood-hazard areas using Shuttle Radar Topography Mission-Digital Elevation Model (SRTM-DEM). The study area is the province of Izmir. SRTM-DEM of the Izmir Province has 90 m of grid size resolution; 45 m of horizontal accuracy; and 15 m of vertical accuracy. Within this study, obtaining spatial information on flood hazard by using Izmir digital terrain models and by 3D analysis that will help to achieve the regional flood hazard management scheme is aimed. Flood-hazard areas have been identified by the use of digital elevation model covering the study area. The main rivers in the study area are Gediz, Kucuk Menderes and Bakircay that creates the coastal flood plains. In order to estimate the spatial distribution of flood-hazard areas in Izmir, five factors are used: flow accumulation, land use, slope, rainfall intensity, and elevation. The classic hydrological modelling approach was applied to determine the rainfall intensity; rainfall intensity of study region is created with the average amount of total rainfall intensity of fifteen stations in the two basins per minute using the interpolation method (spline interpolation). By the digitizing rivers, topography, flow direction and flow accumulation, as well as the flood detention areas are determined. These factors were combined with the weighted overlay method to determine categorized flood-hazard areas. As a result, possible flood-hazard areas have been determined in the case of Izmir Province. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd

The Relationship between Respiratory Systems' Cases and Environmental Urban Factors

Air pollution in urban areas which have dense population, industrial facilities and dependence on the private automobiles, adversely affects the number of respiratory system diseases. The aim of the study is to test the relation between the number of respiratory systems cases' and environmental urban factors affecting these cases such as the level of urban air pollution, current land use, total population and the number of vehicles. The data are collected for six districts in Izmir, Turkey for the years between 2007 and 2011. The results show that there's a statistically significant relationship between the number of respiratory systems' cases and environmental urban factors. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd

Attitude and Practice Toward Use of Cigarettes and Electronic Cigarettes Among Pregnant Women: A Questionnaire-Based Survey

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate attitude and practice toward use of regular tobacco cigarettes and electronic cigarettes among pregnant women. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 1123 pregnant women participated on a voluntary basis in this questionnaire survey. Maternal characteristics, cigarette consumption parameters, and personal opinions regarding the adverse effects of smoking during pregnancy were evaluated. RESULTS: Active smokers composed 12.4% (9.4%: regular tobacco cigarettes, 3.0%: electronic cigarettes) of the study population. Smoking during the current pregnancy, particularly via regular tobacco cigarettes, was more likely for women with smoking during previous pregnancies (56.0% vs. 7.8%, P .001), previous history of low birth weight infant delivery (16.1% vs. 8.6%, P =.013), premature delivery (16.7% vs. 7.0%, P .001), and stillbirth (22.8% vs. 11.7%, P =.002). The presence versus absence of smoking during pregnancy was associated with a lower likelihood of being a housewife (70.5% vs. 80.5%, P =.010) and a higher likelihood of having an actively smoking mother (25.9% vs. 11.2%, P .001) or partner (65.7% vs. 46.9%, P .001). Regular tobacco cigarette users considered electronic cigarettes to have a higher risk of adverse impacts (11.1% vs. 2.9%, P =.012), while electronic cigarette users considered regular cigarettes to have a higher risk of nicotine exposure (55.9% vs. 13.0%, P .001). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate being employed, having an actively smoking mother or partner, as well as smoking in previous pregnancies, to be the risk factors for increased likelihood of smoking during pregnancy